Extensible car step



' Feb. 22-, 1927. 1,618, 386

A. A. POOLE EXTENSIBLE CAR STEP Filed Nov. 28, 1924 Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

UNITED "STATES g 2 1,618,385 PATENT OFFICE.

ALPHEUS A. POOLE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

EXTENSIBLE CAR STEI.

Application filed November 28, 1924. Serial No. 752,711.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in an extensible car step adapted for use on passenger cars and the like to provide a step which may be moved 5 downwardly into operative position and slid upwardly out of operative posit-ion, so as to raise the step to such an elevation as to permit its passage over any obstruction which may be present on the track over which it is drawn. 'The present invention relates particularly to automatic means for controlling the raising of this step so that when the locomotive, whether it. be steam or electric,.is about to bev started to draw the car on which the step is ;mounted, the step will be automatically raised to inoperative position. It is an object of this invention to provide means for raising such a step to inoperative position by the application of 2 power to the locomotive and to provide means for locking the step actuating mechanism against operation upon the withdrawal. of the power from the locomotive.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention. consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. The invention will be best understood from a reference to the accompanying drawings which forma part of thisspecification, and in which, V I

Fig. 1 is a perspective. viewof the step of a car. 1 f

Fig. 2 isa sectional view takensubstantially on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational View of a part of the steps. a

Fig. 4: is a sectional view taken on substantially line 4- 1 of Fig. 3. L i Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the valve operating mechanism mountedon the locomotive and 6 is a central vertical sectional view of the valve shown in Fig; 5.

The invention is adapted for use particularlywith cars 9 having permanently arranged steps 11 for mounting into and dismounting from the car 9. The steps 11 have side walls 12 and 13. Extensionside walls Hand 15 provided with longitudinally extending slots 16, 17 respectively, are adapted for mounting on the'side walls 12 and 13; in slidable relation, these extensible side walls carrying an extensible step 18. The arrangement is'such that the step 18 may be lowered relatively to the lower-most step permanently arranged on the car, so as to eliminate the necessity of using a foot stool or the like in assisting passengers to mount to and dismount from the car 9. car is in movement, the step 18 would be raised so as to engage at its upper surface with the lower-most step.. Mounted on the step 18, preferably centrally thereof, and

projecting rearwardly therefrom, is a bracket arm 19'to which is pivotally connected one end of a piston rod 20, the opposite end carrying a piston head 21 slidable in the cylinder 22 which carries a head 23 which is mounted on the fioor 24 of the car 9. Projectingfifrom one of the steps 11 is a bracket 25 wv 'ch is provided with an opening through which the piston rod 20 projects, the bracket 25, serving to guide the piston 20 in its movements and serving to afford a means for connection of one end of a spring 26 which is positionedabout the rod 20 in embracing relation, the opposite end of the spring 26 being connected tothe bracket arm 19. This spring is normally under tension so that it normally tends to retain the step 18 in close engagement with the under surface of the lower most fixed step. The cylinder 22 is suitably connected adjacent the head 23, by piping 27 to a source of steam or compressed air supply. Interposed in the piping 27 between the source of steam or air supply and the cylinder 22, is a valve 28 which is adapted to control the flow of steam or. air through the piping to the cylinder 22. The valve 28 is provided with an operating handle 29 which is'adapted IEO1" rocking movement for operating the valve 28,- Mountedin the extension side wall 14 is a box formingplate 30 having a recess 31 formed in its base. Engagingat one end of the recess 31 is a spring 32 the opposite end of which engages in a recess 33" formed 111211 arm 33 which is pivotally mounted as at 3 1 to the side walls of the box form-' ing portion'30. The arrangement is such that as the step 18 moves into close engagement with the lowermost'step 11 the end of the arm 33 will engage the arm 29 and rock it upwardly to close the valve 28, so as to close communlcation between the cylinder 22 and the source of steam or air supply, the extension side 14, when moving upwardly, carrying the arm 33 upwardly sufli-, ciently to effect this. I

In the locomotive which is used for drawmg the car 9, theoperator of the locomotive lVhen the 60 provided with a throttle lever 35, for controllin the delivery of power to the locomotive. This lever, 35, is connected by a rod 36 to a suitable control for regulating the delivery of power to the locomotive. This connection of the lever 35 to the rod 36 is a loose one, a slot 87 being provided in the end of the arm 36 to affect this loose connection. Pivotally connected to the throttle lever 35 is an arm 39 which is pivotally connected to an operating arm at) adapted for operating the stop cock all which controls the flow of steam or compressed air to the aiping 27 which communicates with the cylinder 22. Suitable piping 42 communicates with the source of steam or compressed air and with the valve 41'. An exhaust piping 43 also communicates with the valve 41', so that when the delivery of steam or compressed air through the piping a2 is shut off the piping 27 will be in communication with the exhaust piping 4-3, thus permitting an escape of the steam or compressed air from the cylinder 22 permitting the spring 20 to raise the step 18 into inoperative position.

\Vhen the train is brought to a stop the brakeman or porter of the car 9 will manually open the valve 28, the arm lli being inwardly compressible for permitting the opening of the valve 28 by means of a down wardly rocking of the arm 29. Inasmuch as it would not be desired to lower the step l8 at any time, other than when the power is shut oil from the locomotive pulling the train, the throttle lever 35, would then be moved to position which would open communication between the piping 27 and the this arrangement. by the relative location of the various ports piping 42. hen the porter or brakeman would open the valve 28 the compressed air or steam, as the case may he, would enter the cylinder 22 and force the step 18 downwardly into the position shown in the drawings: In this downward movement the arm 33 would ride over the arm 529 into substantially the position shown in Fig. When it is desired to move the train again, the engineer in applying the power would operate the throttle lever 35. On account of the loose connection by the throttle lever 35, and 36, the valve 4-1 would be so operated as to close ci'nnmunication between the piping 27 and the piping l2, and open cominunication between the piping l3 and the piping :37, thus permitting a bleeding of the cylinder as the spring :36 moves the step 18 upwardly. The 'iormation of the stop cool; it should be such that as communication between the piping l2 and the piping .27, is closed and comnumication established between the piping and the piping .27, a further opening movement oi the rod 36 willnot serve in any wise to disturb This could be regulated around the valve cock 41, the arrangement being dcpei'ulent upon the amount of movement at the throttle lever 35, applying or shutting oil' the power to the locomotive.

In this manner I have afforded power means for moving the auxiliary step into operative position and automatic means for raising the step into inoperative po sition just previously to the application of power to the locomotive for drawing the train.

While I have illustrated and described the pre'tcrrcd 'lorm ct construction, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details ot the structure shown, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a car adapted for being drawn by a locomotive and provided with a set 01 permanently arranged steps, an auxiliary step mounted beneath the lowermost of said permanent steps and adapted for slidable lllOVCll'lGllil relatively thereto, into operative and inoperative position; power operating means :i'or moving said step into operative position; power operated means for controlling the delivery of power to said power operated means; resilient means for moving said step from operative to inoperative position; and means for automatically closing said control means upon the movemcnt of said step from operative to inoperative position.

2. In combination with a car adapted for being drawn by a locomotive and having permanently arranged steps mounted thereon, an auxiliary step slidahly mounted heneath the lower-most of said permanently arranged stops and adapted for movement into operative and inoperative position; power operated means "for moving said step into operative position; control means for controlling the delivery of power to said power operated means; resilient means for moving said step from operative to inoperatire position; means for auton'iatically closing said control means upon the movement oi said step from operative to inoperative position; a lditional control means tor controlling the delivery of power to said power operated means; and means for operating said :ulditional control means for preventing the delivery of power to said first mentioned control means alter the application O'li power to said locomotive and tor-opening said additional control means to permit the delivery of power subsetpiently to the shutting oil of the power fron'i said locomotive.

2-3. In combination with a car adapted for being drawn by a power driven locomotive having means for controlling the delivery of power to said locomotive and permanently arranged steps on said car, an auxiliary step slidably mounted on said permanently arranged steps;'a cylinder mounted adjacent said steps; a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder; a piston rod connected to said piston and projecting outwardly from said cylinder, the free end of said piston rod being connected to said auxiliary step, and adapted for moving said step to operative position upon the delivery of power to said cylinder; resilient means for movingsaid steps from inoperative to operative position; piping for conducting power to said cylinder; means interposed in said piping for controlling the delivery of power to said cylinder; yieldable means for operating said control means for preventing the delivery of power to said piston upon the movement of said auxiliary step from operative to inoperative position; means for controlling the delivery of power to said piping; and means for operating said last mentioned control means in relation to the delivery of power to said locomotive.

In'testimony whereof, I have signed the foregoing specification.

ALPHEUS A. POOLE. 

